What are good Techniques of Essay Writing?

Essay is just a literary composition of any given Topic. Essay cannot be attractive unless you do not give lightness, grace and ease. There are some good techniques of Essay writing, students can develop good essay writing skills by adopting these techniques of essay writing. These techniques of Essay Writing can be helpful in all exams of essay writing including competitive exams like CSS, PMS, PPSC,etc.

Selecting The Topic for Essay

There will be two types of Topics

1. General Topics: “We have to specify” (Example: Pakistan)
2. Specific Topics: “already specified” (Example: Politics in Pakistan)

Note: There is no any rule of restriction to choose the topic, it is totally depend on your understanding with the topic.
*Although General Topics are more easier than Specific.

Understanding of Topic

Words of Topic are very important in order to recognize the real sense.
Every Solution Breeds a New Problem
Strong Democracy in Future of Pakistan

General Rules and Techniques of Essay Writing

Rule of unity:

The Rule of unity must applies to the structure of paragraph and sentences. Unity in an Essay implies three things at least:

1. Relevancy:

The student before he begins to write must note carefully the wording of the subject set, and convince himself that he has understood its scope, making it neither too narrow nor too abroad, nor allowing his thought to wander away from the point.

2. Proportion:

The student must realize the relative importance of the different points of the essay and allot spaces to them accordingly. Each topic must have its appropriate space. Trifling matters, if at all introduced in the essay, should never occupy a large space. Important and weighty ideas, on the other hand, should occupy a prominent position and receive a duly elaborate treatment.

3. Arrangement:

The paragraphs should be so arranged that when reader has gone through one paragraph, his mind will be carried forward by an easy transition to the next one. The ideas must succeed in an that coherence of the whole essay may be secured. A proper, logical order in setting forth the ideas can be ensured only by the use of outline.

How to Construct outline in Essay Writing?

An outline is a general plan of the material that is to be presented in an essay. The outline shows the order of the various topics, the relative importance of each, and the relationship between the various parts.

In drawing up an outline, the following general rules should be observed:

First set down the principal ideas that suggest themselves and denote them by numbers, 1, 2, 3, etc. These are the main topics.
Next set down under each main topic the subordinate ideas that follow from them. These are the sub topics and denote them by letters a, b, c, etc.
Arrange both your main topics and sub topics in their natural order.
See that ideas contained in the sub topics are in keeping with the ideas contained in the main topics.
Word all your topics as briefly and compactly as possible
You must give 25 to 40 minutes to construct a proper outline.

Structure of Essay:

There are mainly 3 Parts of an Essay:

1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion

Introduction

The introduction guides the reader into your paper by grabbing attention and introducing the topic.
An Introduction of an essay generally tells the reader that what he is going to read in the body.
An Introduction would consider good if it rivets the reader’s attention and suggest him the general aim of the essay.
An introduction should be short (max: one page)
Introduction should be striking and relevant to the subject.
Introduction should lead to the subject without any unnecessary delay.

How to write an Introduction while writing Essay?

Introduction of Essay has importance in techniques of Essay Writing. There are three different methods about writing an introduction of essay.
1. Direct Method: Identify the key words and begin with them. As like “Status of Women in Islam”
2. Indirect Method: Start with event, saying, story or statement.
3. Full Statement Method: Start with complete Statement which support your topic. Example: If topic is Status of women in Islam. “Islam gives high status to women at every step of life”

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is simply an argument that you are going to prove.
It is the roadmap for your essay and explains to the reader exactly what you will discuss in your paper.
The thesis statement will be the LAST SENTENCE in your INTRODUCTION paragraph.
A basic thesis statement contains the topic and the 1 to 3 main points to support the topic. For example: if the topic is about “Culture of Pakistan” You can write “Culture of Pakistan has a long history, blends traditions from several other cultures, and provides a rich heritage. ”

Main Body of Essay

Body is just Combinations of PARAGRAPHS
It contains Facts Illustration and Reflections.
Try to place strongest paragraph on the top
At least up to 7 pages you must put strongest paragraphs
Paragraph must contain one main idea. In every first sentence put your main idea
You must justify your main idea in particular paragraph
Do not attempt to exhaust the topic.
Do not give all that might be said.
Avoid using pronouns (I,We, You, They etc…)

How to write Paragraph?

Main body of Essay also has utmost importance in techniques of Essay Writing. A full and complete paragraph consists of a MINIMUM of 8-10 sentences and follows a specific format:

TOPIC SENTENCE (1st Sentence)
The topic sentence reflects which thesis statement point you will be discussing in the body paragraph.
You must PROVE your POINT by providing PROOFS (examples) to support your topic sentence.
You must COMMENT on each PROOF to further your analysis.
Therefore…POINT (topic sentence)

PROOF & COMMENT (x3)

CONCLUDING SENTENCE (last sentence)
Each paragraph should end with a final statement that brings together the ideas brought up in the paragraph and emphasizes the main point one last time.

Conclusion

Conclusion is the last element for techniques of Essay Writing.

The conclusion brings together ALL of the main points of the essay.
It refers back to and RESTATES the THESIS.
The conclusion leaves the reader with a final thought and a sense of closure by resolving any ideas brought up in the essay.

RULE: IN ANY CONCLUSION YOU CANNOT INTRODUCE ANYTHING NEW!